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If you can locate them, unmarked buildings, abandoned
railway tunnels and secret holes-in-the-wall often yield the most memorable
travel experiences.

ByMarnie Hanel on December 12, 2011

Several years ago a houseguest visiting me in New York said,
“You’ve taken me to four bars and two restaurants, and none of them have been
marked. What is going on?” It was the height of Manhattan’s speakeasy
craze, and although it may have gotten (and may still be!) a little out of
hand, there was something irresistible about exploring an underground New York
just for New Yorkers.

In a city that sees 48.8 million visitors each year, the
best way to claim a corner of one’s own may be to hide it behind a secret phone
booth, underneath a pizza stand, beyond the kitchen, on the other side of the
wine cellar or in a train car. The same is true in other cities, of course,
which is why digging for insider tips and word-of-mouth directions before a
trip always pays off. The legwork is far more fun when the results are
guaranteed.

Take, for example, La Petite Cuisine a Paris. British ex-pat
Rachel Khoo moved to town to train at the Cordon Bleu, and she ran this
two-seat restaurant out of her 256-square-foot apartment. She served lunch just
two days each week, on Wednesday and Saturday. Guests were treated to soufflé,
ragout or coq au vin, depending on the chef’s inclination.

Khoo is closing her kitchen soon, so here are ten other word-of-mouth
addresses worth investigating. Whether this list leads you to a hilltop spa in
Mexico, a helicopter-access-only slope in the Canadian Rockies or a kitchen
filled with Italian grandmas hell-bent on perfecting your pesto is up to you.
When you’ve arrived, you’ll know you’re there.